Stanford Beats UC Irvine to Take So-Cal Men’s Water Polo Crown

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15. DANTE Dettamante may have left the deck but John Vargas is proving to be a more than capable replacement.

Dettamante, who retired as Stanford men's water polo coach last year after winning a record-tying eighth NCAA Championship (and the Cardinal's ninth overall), has been replaced by former Corona del Mar High headman John Vargas — but the beat still goes on and on and on.

In the finals of the So-Cal Tournament this evening at the McDonald's Olympic Swim Stadium on the campus of USC, Stanford toppled Coach Ed Newlin's U Cal Irvine Anteaters, 10-6.

Stanford, ranked No. 1 in the U.S. Water Polo Assn.'s Coaches' poll, is now 6-zip for the season. Irvine, which last won the NCAA Championship in 1989 and which had opened last weekend at home with an impressive victory over then No. 2-ranked UCLA, is 5-1.

Stanford reached the finals with a hard-fought 8-7 win over No. 4 California. Irvine, scoring a pair of goals in the final quarter, held off UOP in the other semifinal match.

Cal overcame a 6-4 UOP halftime lead to take third place in the tournament with a hard-fought 9-7 win.

In the fifth-place match, UCLA defeated USC in overtime, 8-7.

Stanford got a big lift in the finals from junior Mike Derse, who scored three goals. U.S. National team members Tony Azevedo, Peter Hudnut and senior Jeff Guyman added two apiece and Nesmith tallied one. Nick Ellis remained strong in goal, recording three saves as the Cardinal won handily.

Irvine's "big gun" was driver Jeff Powers, an All-America two years ago who sat out last season, with three goals and teammate Dreason Barry scored twice.